2011 Wrap Up!

What a year, we had a lot of fun in 2011!
*Vacation to Marco Island
*Many camping trips
*Summer vacation to Door County

R in 2011
R finished Kindergarten and started 1st grade.  She 'graduated' from her private Occupational Therapy and started Vision Therapy.  She went from being a non-reader to learning how to read!  She joined Daisy's(Girl Scouts), made new friends at school and grew up so much!  She has overcome so many obstacles and challenges this year!  Her growth is outstanding and we know she will grow leaps and bounds in 2012!  She played her first season of girls coach pitch softball and enjoyed it!  She also continued with dance.  In May she finished her jazz/ballet class and in September started Celtic.  She is ready for her brother and sister to start Kindergarten this fall so they are in school all day with her and not home having fun without her(she thinks we craft, play games and go fun places without her when she is in school and they are not...she is partially right).

Kb in 2011
Kb finished 3yr old preschool and started 4yr old preschool.  He learned to count without skipping the #4 and learned to write letters so much better!  He started and finished his only season of soccer and learned it isn't the sport for him.  He started the season with a lot of tears because he didn't understand why other kids were stealing the ball from him on the field.  Throughout the season he learned the game and was good at soccer, but didn't enjoy all the running.  He has continued with gymnastics and still loves it!  He is very coordinated and really good at gymnastics!  Kb is still in Speech Therapy and is doing so well!  His ST said he is doing so well and is close to being released(a huge change from when he turned 3 and was only putting two words together)!  He still has a sensitive side and a stubborn streak.  He adores his sisters("his girls" as he calls them) and would do anything for them!

Kg in 2011
Kg finished 3yr old preschool and started 4yr old preschool.  She learned to cut with a scissors much nicer and is eager to learn to read and loves learning with mom & dad!  She also started and finished her first season of soccer and learned it also isn't the sport of her.  When she got dressed for her first game she said, "why do I have to dress like everyone else?!".  Still she started Saturday mornings in a tutu at dance class and quick changed to shin guards and cleets.  She quickly learned that she prefers gymnastics and dance over soccer.  I think she does gymnastics for fun and dance because she adores it.  She is over the top excited that she gets to dress up as a princess for her spring recital!  She is a tough girl with spunk and knowone will ever walk all over her...it will be a benefit when she is a teenager, but for now it can be difficult at times.  She is a still a girly princess who likes to wear dresses and skirts, but can run around, get dirty and play hard!

All three have grown so much in 2011!!!  Looking back to posts/pictures from last January makes me realize just how much.  With a new year are new memories to be made...I'm looking forward to what 2012 has in store for us!  Goodbye 2011, we had a great year!

Trip to Madison

We took an overnight get-a-way to Madison! 

We went to Ella's Deli for lunch!  Dh and I have driven past it numerous times, but never realized exactly what it was.  It was sensory overload in there, but the kids loved it!

We then went to the Children's Museum!  If you have never been there I would call it a combination of Betty Brinn and Discovery World.  It had a great craft room and a fun upper outdoor area(would be great in the spring!) along with a couple other fun areas!

 The kids LOVE their magna tiles at home!  I would love a light table at home...

 I also told dh it would be fun to have a 'plexi glass wall' on our fence this summer;)...

 They could have spent hours in the light room!  Dh took turns lifting the kids up so they could make body shapes high up(R is getting ready to go up)...

 A great view of the capital!

 We went to see the capital!  R said, "we're going to see where Scott Walker works!" (dh is rubbing off on her;).  

 We went back to the hotel and went swimming and ordered pizza for dinner.  Thanks for the hotel hook up Grandma & Papa:)!!!

Friday we made a stop at Cave of the Mounds!  It wasn't to cold in there, thankfully...

 and they had a fun area to dig for treasures...

 Kb lost his had somewhere before we got to Madison(still no idea where?) so he had to wear R's extra hat she had in the car...

It was a fun get-a-way and a great way to finish up the busy Christmas week!

Merry Christmas!

We had a great Christmas!!!  The kids were all healthy(until Christmas morning when the runny noses started) and were all so excited for Christmas!  It was nice to see so much family this past weekend!  The kids are at great ages...

We tried getting a great picture in front of the tree, but the kids were being silly...

an attempt at a family picture at Grandma's...

All three kids came home from school with bags of 'Magic Reindeer Food' so we went outside to sprinkle it in the yard...

 Got out Santa's cookies and milk...

 Kb was worried about Santa getting down the chimney.  He had to make sure the doors were open for Santa to get in...

 We then checked where Santa was on the computer...

 said goodbye to Barney, our elf...

 while the kids were snug in their beds, Santa came!!!

 Kb woke up just before 7:30am and saw Santa had come.  He woke Kg up and they came downstairs to tell us.  We told them they had to snuggle up with us and let R sleep a little longer.  That lasted all of five minutes. Kg snuck to R's room and woke her up.  The kids were so excited to open presents!  Dh and I are so excited to give them their final present from us, a surprise when we go to Florida in a few weeks!!!

Christmas ends and I am a little sad.  This was an awesome Christmas, all three kids were over the top excited and true believers!  I know that R is in 1st grade this year and is not going to believe much longer.  Thankfully, knowone said anything to her about this so she has no clue.  It is a matter of time before it comes up at school though.  Let's hope not until 3rd grade so we get another magical year for all three next year!

Christmas Picture...

The attempt at the perfect Christmas picture in front of the tree....

to bad we don't have Photoshop!

Junie B. Jones - Jingle Bells Batman Smells Play

Dh and I took R out Thursday night to dinner and a play!  We went to see Junie B. Jones, Jingle Bells Batman Smells play in Milwaukee.  It was a lot of fun to spend time with R and see her enjoy herself!  R has been working so hard in school and her extra activities lately that she deserved a special night!  

After dinner, before the play we walked across the street to see the ice skating rink....

 It was R's special night and with that comes a special treat, Phillip Johnny Bob(that is his name, right?)...

December 18th - Teacher Gifts

R, Kb & Kg gave their teachers "12 Days of Christmas" gifts this year!  

For support staff(gym, art, music etc.) R made these jars.  Kb also made one for his speech teacher.

We made a mixture of homemade carmel corn, white chocolate pretzels, dried blueberries, snowman vanilla marshmallows and red/green m&m's.  Put them in mason jars, add a fabric piece on top and a ribbon... 

 They turned out really cute and the kids had fun making them!

December 17th - First Snow (to shovel;)

We had our first snow of the year(first that was more than a few flurries and involved a shovel:)

Kb & Kg had a lot of fun shoveling the snow.  R was off with Grandma shopping and was disappointed she didn't get to help.  I told her we will have plenty more snow and she is welcome to shovel whenever she wants!

Shoe Store

It was one of those days that I was thankful our kids don't have a lot of shoes!  Kb and Kg set up a shoe store and were 'selling' each other shoes that they picked out.  Who knew shoes could be so fun!